Contextual Data Visualization

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a plurality of data visualizations by applying templates from the database that most closely match the data and meta-data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying the plurality of data visualizations to the user for selection.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving from the user an indication of which of the data visualizations the user has selected.

5. The method of claim 1, in which creating a data visualization comprises communicating settings to an application on the user's computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the analyzing the structure and content attributes of the data comprises determining how many rows and columns are in the data and which portions of the data are numeric or alphanumeric.

7. The method of claim 1, in which receiving data selected by a user comprises receiving data dragged by the user into an input of the processor from a data source.

8. The method of claim 1, in which receiving data selected by a user comprises receiving data dragged by the user into a web page or application from different source.

9. The method of claim 1, in which creating a data visualization by applying the at least one template to the data comprises selecting a data format that is compatible with the indicated application in which a data visualization will be presented.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the meta-data comprises information identifying an audience of the data visualization.

12. The method of claim 11, in which selection of the at least one template comprises selection of a template that are marked as having been previously been presented to the audience.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording use of templates stored in the database by a plurality of users by recording: characteristics of visualizations used by the plurality of users, characteristics of the data supplied by the plurality of users and meta-data in visualization requests received from the plurality of users.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating visualization best practices based on visualization records by the plurality of users stored in the database.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting and recording post generation meta-data, the post generation meta-data comprising a record of how the user modified and used the data visualization, the post generation meta-data being stored in the database.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a new template from the post generation meta-data, the new template being tagged with the identity of the user and audience of the data visualization.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein causing the processor to create the data visualization includes causing the processor to select a data format that is compatible with the indicated application in which a data visualization will be presented.